By NATARIO McKENZIE
Tribune Business Reporter
nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net
A petition has been launched for anglers to register their opposition to the proposed Fly Fishing law and regulations, as a well-known lodge owner yesterday told Tribune Business: “The damage has already been done”.
Oliver White, the Abaco Lodge owner/operator, said he has already seen several client groups cancel trips because they felt they were no longer welcome in the Bahamas.
Mr White told Tribune Business that the response to the proposed regulations has been “overwhelmingly negative” within the fly fishing community. A petition has been launched by Nervous Waters, the operators of family fly fishing lodges around the world, calling on anglers to oppose the Bahamas’ proposed regulations, arguing that the Government will be making a “monumental error in judgment”.
At the centre of the firestorm that has erupted within the industry is the proposed requirement that all visiting fly fishermen, even experts coming to the Bahamas for decades, have to hire a local guide at a cost of $600 per day.
Mr White said: “I find most objections centre around the xenophobic language, and the vague wording regarding licenses and permitting and lodge ownership. Any foreigner who reads the draft can draw no other conclusion than they are not welcome.
“The heavy language of foreigner versus Bahamian leaves a sour taste in their mouth. While they all recognise the Bahamas has every right to manage their fisheries and country as they see fit, they also don’t want to spend their money where they are not welcome.
“The proximity to the United States means that many anglers know the Bahamas well, and love the Bahamas - the fishing, the beauty, the people. Many of these people have been coming to the islands before independence, another reason the language seems so harsh.”
Mr White added: “Many people spend months in the Bahamas, second home owners, for example. They would like to see a daily, weekly and annual option, as $20 a day [for a permit] for six months is egregious.
“Anglers fear the licensing process is subjective, that the ability to get a license or access to water isn’t certain and that makes it impossible to plan a trip. No one would object, and most would be advocates of a fishing license that is easily obtainable, non-subjective, and offered unrestricted access to the flats by foot or via any vessel legally in the Bahamas, with the funds being used to preserve and protect the resource.”
Mr White said the language in the regulations is also ‘troublesome”. He explained: “The Bahamas has a process for foreign investment. It is exhaustive and arduous.
“Any company that has gone or gets approval from the Foreign Investment Board should continue to be welcomed. These companies create jobs and provide a lot of benefit to the local economy.
“For example, I employ over 25 Bahamians in my business. We buy our food, alcohol, gas locally. We used local contractors to build the lodge, and still use locals for our repairs and maintenance. Our BEC bills, like most people in the Bahamas, seem to forever grow higher.”
Mr White added that the Internet has been abuzz with negative feedback from anglers over the proposed regulations, arguing that the industry stands to lose tens of millions of dollars annually.
“The outcry has been severe and damage is done,” he told Tribune Business. “As an owner of two lodges in the Bahamas, I have had several groups of clients cancel trips because they felt unwelcome. The negative impact on tourism is real and already happening.
“If this were to pass as written, which I hope is unlikely, I would promise the negative impact is in the millions - and probably tens of millions - dollars annually. Already I feel the impact is approaching a seven-figure number.”
Mr White said the Nervous Waters petition was making the rounds on the Internet. “I’ve been copied on hundreds of e-mails. For days I have done nothing but answer e-mails and talk on the phone, I imagine everyone with a foot in the industry is doing the same,” he added.
“As I would hope. I implore everyone to write in with their thoughts. That is what it will take to shape meaningful legislation.
“Everyone is optimistic the Government will change course. There are issues that need to be addressed and proactive legislation can be a great thing. The language in the draft is concerning, but is easily repaired.
“We are all waiting for someone in government to stand up and say we look forward to amending this document with the support of all stakeholders, foreign and Bahamian, to create legislation that promotes the industry and the protection of the resource.”
Comments
duppyVAT 8 years, 10 months ago
And add my comment about you as well
Wilbur 8 years, 10 months ago
Even the most ardent angler would not fish every day for six month. Two weeks max in total spending six months. Those who thought they could beat system complain the most. Those who do it the business way already use guides and this price does not trouble them any. Only free loaders some of whom only pay for their airline tickets and food.
newcitizen 8 years, 10 months ago
Those airline tickets have exit taxes that they pay when leaving the Bahamas, they pay for hotels and rent houses, and if they own them they pay real property tax. They buy food when they are here and they rent cars from local renters. They buy gas and drink from the local stations and stores. They tell their friends about the wonderful time they had and the wonderful people they got to know.
Your thinking of is so short sighted and your comment praises the idea of biting off your nose to spite you face.
themessenger 8 years, 10 months ago
Happy to oblige Brother Duppy!
"And you seem to be a classic ass-kissing nigger who worships the ground that any foreigner who comes your way and pats you on the head and gives you a dollar ................ anyone who comes to our country (black, white or yellow) must respect our laws and live within the confines of our cultural norms ... we sure cannot go to the USA, canada or England and do as we please"
Happy Now?
MonkeeDoo 8 years, 10 months ago
If the laws are for the good of the whole population then I would agree, but if they are to grease the palms of a small few players who will not get the grease anyway, (because these people can go elsewhere) then the law has created a net LOSS for this bankrupt country. Keep it up . Most white people have more than one passport and can carry their arses too.
TheMadHatter 8 years, 10 months ago
All white people are being replaced by Haitians. The end result will be amazing to witness - and probably quite entertaining.
sugarbird 8 years, 10 months ago
I love the Bahamas, and have been coming here since I was a kid in the 60's. IMHO with prices like that you're going to drive out all but the very rich, and fewer businesses will survive. You could increase license fees for fishermen who don't use guides, and if you bring your own guide make the guide buy a $200/day license or something?
I really wish something concrete would be done about the illegal commercial poachers who are fishing Bahamian waters out of season, using illegal methods, and taking the catch out of the country.
duppyVAT 8 years, 10 months ago
Messenger .....please do not "cloud" my point of view. I have no problem with legitimate bone fishing lodges (Bahamian or joint venture) who hire Bahamian guides to take tourists fishing ............ I have a serious problem with second home owners illegally diverting tourist business from our country for their dishonest gain ............. that is the growing problem with our bonefish/flyfish industry in the Out Islands ........................... and if you are honest, you would agree with me.
newcitizen 8 years, 10 months ago
All I keep hearing is these stories of how second home owners are diverting tourism yet I have seen no example of it. If foreigners are illegally operating vacation rentals, they there are already laws to deal with that. The more I see and read, the more I see that these new regulations are going to do far more harm than good.
ohdrap4 8 years, 10 months ago
you don't go to abaco, hey dude.
many houses there are rented over the internet and they dont pay the occupancy rate.
newcitizen 8 years, 10 months ago
Well then they should be cracking down on those if that's the problem. How many of those are used by fly fishermen and how many are just people coming down to enjoy Abaco? Now lets consider how many other things those people spend money on: groceries, water, booze, car rentals, taxi's, eating out, ferries, hiring bonefish guides, gas, not to mention the property taxes paid by the foreign owners and the airport taxes that are paid in their airline tickets. So if those people are still the problem then go after them because there are already laws for it. Picking one particular part result of the problem is not an effective way to change this.
happyfly 8 years, 10 months ago
Duppy.......this new legislation is attacking foreign bonefisherman and the lodges that support them. How on earth is it going to resolve the problem if the problem is foreign homeowners renting their houses out ? All this act that is going to do is keep anglers away so nobody gets the business ?? How many times we got to cut our nose off to spite our face ???
themessenger 8 years, 10 months ago
Duppy, My point all along has been that I have no problem with reasonable regulations and fees for the industry. If they are going to legislate new and more draconian laws the they should be targeting the areas of real concern like the hotel boats, both fishing and diving.Slapping blanket type regulations & fees on the industry will be counter productive and hurt legitimate operators equally. Second home owners would have to be addressed differently because not all of them abuse the system; if I were second home owner who had made a significant investment in one of our islands I would be very offended If I had to pay fees that amounted to usury to fish off my own property. It would be a simple enough matter to sell fishing permits at all ports of entry, although I don't know if we could stop our officials from pocketing the proceeds. Enter another large part of the problem, lack of enforcement, our government has just spent over 200 million dollars on new patrol craft so how is it that these hotel boats, not to mention the Dominicans & human traffickers, are able to operate in our waters with impunity? In other countries the proceeds from fees and permits are put back into the industry to pay for things like wardens,fisheries & park management where catch and release is the rule not a choice, not going into the consolidated fund to be pissed away like so much of our money already has been by crooked and brainless politicians. If there was a system of fisheries wardens in place activities of this sort would soon be eradicated; no permit,big fine & confiscation of property or jail. Case in point, the success of the the Exuma Land & Sea park where serious poaching has become a thing of the past, the difference being that this operation is run by the National Trust not an inefficient Ministry of Agriculture & Fisheries. Even us Bahamians can't pick up a dead shell or sea fan or cook a hotdog on the beach never mind jig a jack or pick up a conch.
Yes I agree there should be regulations but not stupid ones that will eventually be detrimental to the industry or a turn off to our,dare I say it, foreign guests.
duppyVAT 8 years, 10 months ago
As soon as a true true Bahamian speaks out about protecting the assets of the country for future generations ................... there foreign-loving lobbyists are all up in arms ........ who is The Bahamas for????????????? Foreigners are welcomed ........... but not at the cost & welfare of the Bahamian ....................... unfortunately the reality is that we live in a society & economy that is 90% owned/directed by foreigners .......... hotels, banks/insurance services, mining operations,transportation, fast-food, PR, high-end personal services, unskilled labour, Govt. consultants, Privy Council ....... even COB & BAMSI experts .................. Lord Jesus help us!!!!!!!!!!
becks 8 years, 10 months ago
duppyVat, You so full of s**t your eyes are brown!
duppyVAT 8 years, 10 months ago
Protecting the bone-fishing/flyfishing industry for Bahamians is in the best interest of our children ... but $600 per day for guide fees is not sensible ............ and foreigners doing as they please on our flats with little regulation is an abuse and affront to us as Bahamians ............. you must agree with that??????????
newcitizen 8 years, 10 months ago
This does not protect it. Bone fishing is catch and release. These foreigners who come in and spend money in our country and support local stores and businesses and tell their friends to come are helping to grow the industry. What is actually going to ruin it, is the illegal gill netting done by our own Bahamians. We will kill the bonefish industry ourselves long before foreigners have a chance to do it.
themessenger 8 years, 10 months ago
Duppy, I applaud you as a true patriot in looking out for our interests; however there has to be a happy medium. Believe it or not we are our own worst enemies, as a Bahamian who has been a fisherman and diver for more years than i will admit too, I am very familiar with the damage our own people do with gill nets,dynamite, bleach and taking out of season. We cry about the Dominicans poaching, and they are a problem, but there are just as many of our own people doing the same thing, the abuse of air compressors is a typical case in point. Regulation is a must, but not the selective & xenophobic kind that we are currently contemplating, no matter what your personal feelings are we need the foreign clients.
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